By PATRICK CASEY
Caitlin Holliday had three hits and scored three runs as South Walton picked up a 7-3 victory over the Freeport Bulldogs in a non-district game played on March 21 at Freeport High School.
The Seahawks got even for a 13-7 loss on March 4 by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning as Holliday and Mackenzie Watson singled to start the game and later scored with the help of a Freeport error for a 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs scratched back with a run of their own in the bottom of the first inning as Megan Seibert scored on a Reba Blythe force play at second base to cut the lead to 2-1.
South Walton scored one run in both the third and fourth innings to push the lead to 4-1 as Holliday scored on a Sam Snider groundout in the third inning with Lacy Littlefield scoring on a Mackenzie Watson single in the fourth.
The Seahawks broke the game open in the sixth inning as Kristy Potter reached base after a wild pitch got away on her strikeout to star the inning. Courtney Wright followed with a single and Holliday provided an RBI double after a force play at third to increase the lead to 5-1. Megan MacLeod followed with a single and another run scored on a throwing error for a 7-1 advantage.
Freeport did not go quietly as they rallied for two runs in their final at-bat after two outs were recorded. Seibert reached base on a single and Taylor Taunton followed up with a double. Amanda Bates then drove in the two runners with a sharp single to cut the lead to 7-3. Seahawks pitcher Meagan Ellison was able to get Rani Simmons on a ground ball to second to end the contest.
Four errors hurt the Bulldogs chances at a win and the team stranded nine runners on base in the contest. “We just can’t seem to get the big hit with people on base,” coach Charles Trotman said after the game. “Errors and clutch hitting have been a problem.”
The Bulldogs did pick up a win on Thursday as they dispatched Paxton 15-8 to improve to 2-14 on the year.
South Walton improved to 7-5 overall and 6-3 in district play after edging Sneads 3-2 on Friday night. The Seahawks scored three runs in the top of the first inning and held on for the key district victory.